Scott Pendlebury is in prime position to win his first Brownlow Medal this year according to Champion Data.

The premiership midfielder is predicted to have polled 23 votes after round 20 this season, one behind leader Chris Judd.

Champion Data has served as an accurate guide to Brownlow Medal predictions, with the complex statistics system correctly predicting Geelong’s James Bartel to win the coveted award in 2007 and Gary Ablett in 2009.

Pendlebury has put together a statistically strong season in his sixth year at the club.

He ranks first at the club in contested possessions, score assists and inside 50s (tied with Travis Cloke) and is second in total disposals, clearances and tackles.

The vice captain is averaging 28.7 disposals, the seventh most in the competition, with a disposal efficiency the best (79.1 percent) out of the top ten accumulators.  Comparatively, Judd is averaging 27.6 disposals and is using it at 66.5 percent effectiveness.

Pendlebury is 10th in the league in metres gained and has the highest retention rate out of the top 50 highest-disposal winners, with the footy hitting its intended target 79.8 percent of the time.  Western Bulldog Matthew Boyd has gained the most metres in the league (10355) and has a retention rate of 64.2 percent. 

Judd ranks 25th in the competition in total metres gained and has a 69.0 percent retention rate.

Pendlebury’s consistency is his trademark in 2011 highlighted by polling coaches’ votes in 13 games this season including the last seven.  His damage on the scoreboard has improved this season, averaging 1.1 goals including multiple goals in six games while Judd is averaging 0.6 goals per match.

Heading into the final four weeks of the season, Pendlebury holds a slight edge with the Magpies playing every week until finals while the Blues have a bye in round 23.

While Champion Data rates last year’s favourite Dane Swan a distant third in this year’s voting, the 2010 Copeland Trophy winner is playing sensational footy since his return from the mid-season Arizona camp.

The proven vote-getter is averaging a league best 35.5 disposals, 6.8 marks and 1.3 goals since his return from the US. 

Swan polled 24 Brownlow votes to finish third last year with Pendlebury in fourth on 21 votes.  Pendlebury polled five three-vote games while Swan was best on ground twice.

Collingwood has featured nine Brownlow Medal winners in its history with Nathan Buckley the last Magpie (2003) to do it.